If you work for a large company then it can always feel a little overwhelming when it comes to planning those yearly conferences and meetings. With so much depending on you being able to organise all the details it is understandable if you find the task a little daunting and start to worry that it could all go wrong. There’s no need to worry as you can take all the guesswork out of the organisation process quite easily. If you take control, exercise a little forethought and think ahead then you will be surprised at how straightforward it can be. These tips will help you with your planning.

Your first task should be to make a point of streamlining your tasks. Before you start it is of utmost importance that you know which direction you are going in so that you can adequately plan your event. Try to make a list of all the tasks that need to be completed from before the event to the very end; everything from finding the right speakers to developing an effective promotional plan that will reflect the vision of your company.

The next job will rely on you deciding upon your target audience. Evaluate your company and the people they are looking to reach out to at the conference. It is essential that you know your target ‘market’ as this well help you to focus your efforts.

You need to start promoting and marketing your conference early, especially if it is to be an especially large event. If you get the word out early then this will help to generate extra word of mouth ‘buzz’ which will complement the other means by which you are advertising your conderence, whether it be industry publications, email marketing or the internet.

All of the hard work that has gone into your forward planning will be meaningless if you can’t find the right venue. Finding an appropriate conference centre is crucial to the success of your event as everything from the layout of the room to the whereabouts of the toilets must be checked before you agree to a contract. If people are uncomfortable throughout the day then this will impact negatively on your event and people’s perspective on your company.

You should have a back up plan in case things don’t go precisely to plan. As an example a speaker may drop out at the last minute or there may be a mix-up with the catering. Not everything will be within your control, however it will help to limit any damage if you have a contingency plan for the most common issues that may arise.

Planning and organising a conference can be a hugely stressful task, yet it can also be a very rewarding one. If done correctly it can be hugely satisfying to see all the attendees enjoying themselves at the conference and it will give you a chance to enjoy yourself. So give yourself a good head start and plenty of opportunity to put together what should be a memorable conference!

Author Bio: Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of Owl Event Management, a leading UK event planning company.

Category: Self Help
Keywords: event planning, event management, event organiser, conference planning, event plan